Kitchenuymics: [Science] How do you...?

What is  your method for cooking?
Apart from wielding a spoon 🍽, what is the best way to approach a dish? 😁

In my limited experience, I can only think 🤔 of 3 ways:
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By calculation

• You are the systematic researcher. 🔍
• You're one to pore over a variety of FoodTube videos until you settle for the perfect recipe resource.  Or if your mother gave you her precious & thick recipe notebook, you sift through it until you find THE one!  
• You then follow a l l the steps to the very last comma and dot.

Is it safe to say every kitchen fledgling begins like this?

By serendipity

• You are the eccentric inventor , who adds into the pot just about anything! 
• And zip-zap 🗲, by chance some unique and delicious, and hopefully, fine-looking, concoction comes out from your food experiment.
  (Oh, lucky you!)
• You are somewhat of an adventurer, like Indiana Jones, who just wings it every time; trusting that your gut, literally, and your fancy will take your food and taste buds to an exciting journey!

For the skilled masters and for the truly brave ones who just, you know, dare to taste out of the box!

By combination

• The combo blends together the best of both of both worlds! ☯
• Prep the basics of the dish first and then a little twist here and there, add a few secret ingredients, and voila! your very own version of the dish.

A good place to be - basics and some imagination!
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Which one is your method?
Or do you have another one?  Do tell!